Where It Began
by TechWriter2
Summary: He wasn’t sure what to say, so finally he said the first thing that came to mind. “I made you breakfast.” And with that she promptly burst into tears. :Adam/Lindsay:


**Prompt: "Sweet Caroline" by Neil Diamond  
Series: Part of the Lyric Table Challenge**

_I should take this opportunity to explain the Lyric Table Challenge. It's a table built out of 25 random songs on my iPod. Songs must be used in each story or drabble (either as inspiration for said story/drabble or as part of the story/drabble). Stories do not have to be related or in any particular order. That being said, I do not own CSI:NY, Lindsay Monroe, Adam Ross or any other CSI:NY character mentioned here.  
_

* * *

_Where it began, I can't begin to know when_

He'd been friends with her for a while and had known her much longer. He'd had a crush on her for what seemed like forever, but as a lowly lab tech, he had never had the courage to approach her. He was no good in social situations (especially when those social situations involved a particularly super hot CSI). He could talk all day about biotransformation and finger prints, but once conversations veered more toward the personal...well, he was a stuttering, blubbering mess.

So, he had watched from afar, with sadness, as she pursued a relationship with Danny Messer. Danny was, by all accounts, a great guy and a great friend, but as a boyfriend - he kinda sucked. Oh, he was charming and witty and he defiantly knew how to woo the ladies (all of which were skills that Adam lacked), but when it came down to being there for a woman, really being there emotionally...well, that was another story.

So, he had watched from afar, when it all came crashing down.

~*~

Lindsay had been wreck; always pretending to be strong, even though, her eyes held a deep sadness. On the outside, she appeared to be fine most of the time, but there were these moments (usually whenever Danny was around) when Adam could see that she was about as far away from fine as you could get. And it was those moments when he chose to intervene - usually with some "urgent" lab result or "urgent" message from Stella or Mac.

He was pretty sure that Danny knew what was going on, but he never out-right called Adam on it. He'd just give him a long hard look and turn and walk away.

A few weeks after the break-up, Adam quite literally stumbled upon Lindsay at Sullivan's. He'd met a few of the guys from his street hockey team at the bar, and he was well into his third beer when one of his overzealous teammates knocked him into Lindsay as she was coming out of the restroom.

Right away, it was apparent to him, that she a) had been there for awhile, b) was by herself , and c) was going to need help getting home (no matter how much she protested). So, he carried her fireman-style all the way to her apartment (which lucky for him was a mere few blocks away). He spent the better part of 15 minutes trying to get her into her apartment and keep her from puking in her hallway. Once inside, she did puke, all over him, all over herself and all over a very expensive-looking area rug.

"Adam," she slurred trying to hold her head up, "I smell."

"Yeah, dudette, I know." He winced looking around nervously. He was not very good in situations like this - he needed help. He thought briefly about calling Stella, but it was getting late, and he was afraid if he didn't get Lindsay up and moving soon she would fall asleep in her own vomit.

He started undoing the buttons to his dress shirt. First, he needed to get his shirt off before he threw up just looking at it. Once done, he glanced over at Lindsay, who was rapidly losing the battle to stay awake.

"Okay, Lindsay," he remarked bending down in front of her careful to avoid the stain on the rug, "don't pull another exorcist on me." Counting to ten and trying to avert his eyes as much as possible, he unbuttoned her blouse and thanked his lucky stars she was wearing a white camisole underneath.

He thought she was asleep when he heard, "Adam, don't try to cop a feel."

He chuckled nervously and blushed despite being the only one in the apartment with her.

"I might like it." That made him stop in his tracks. He was _so_ in trouble.

~*~

He had gotten her cleaned up, as best he could, without using his eyes, and the next morning he awoke bright and early from his spot on the couch. He cleaned her living room rug, threw his shirt (and her clothes) into her washer, and made her breakfast.

She crawled out of bed sometime during his third viewing of SportsCenter and entered the livingroom with her buck knife poised for action.

"Cripes, Adam, you scared me." Once she got over her initial shock, she placed the knife on one of her end tables.

"What are you doing in my apartment?" She demanded.

"Um," he squeaked, "you don't remember." It was more of a statement than a question. "I, uh, ran into you at, uh, Sullivan's. I, um, brought you home."

Her facial expression went from angry, to disbelief, to panic. "Did you undress me?" She cried remembering her state of semi-nakedness when she woke up.

Adam swallowed hard, "uh, I, uh, only, uh..."

"Adam?!"

"Just your shirt and jeans," he cried coming to his feet.

"Oh no," she moaned sinking down on the opposite end of her couch. "I'm such a fool." She stood up abruptly, "I knew getting involved with Danny Messer was a mistake. I knew something like this would happen."

Adam wasn't sure what do with himself as he watched her continue her tirade. Should he stay? Should he go? Finally, she seemed to remember that she was not alone.

"Oh, Adam, I'm so sorry." She touched his arm lightly, and he could see the beginnings of tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry for last night, for this morning. I'm such a wreck, and you didn't ask for any of this drama."

"Lindsay,"

"I mean - how can I ever thank you for helping me home last night and for taking care of me? That was so nice of you. I mean - you didn't have to do any of that."

She glanced up at him waiting for some type of response. He wasn't sure what to say, so finally he said the first thing that came to mind. "I made you breakfast." And with that she promptly burst into tears.

~*~

_But then I know it's growing strong_

That had been the beginning of a beautiful friendship. They met up for lunch, when their schedules allowed, spent time together on weekends playing video games and often went to local concerts together.

They never spoke another word about that night so long ago when he bumped into her at Sullivan's. They never talked about how grateful they both were that it was Adam that ran into Lindsay - and not someone else. She never mentioned how she finally remembered that she told him that she might like it if he tried to cop a feel. He never mentioned that she turned his insides to jelly when she told him she might like it if he tried to cop a feel.

And most importantly, they never told each other about how that night, and subsequent morning, something shifted between them.

* * *


End file.
